Bedstead.



Patented Ian. I, I901. F. WOOD.

BEDSTEAD.

(Application filed July 5, 1900.)

2 $heets-$heet I.

(No Model.)

\X/ihuesses ATNT FFlQE.

FREDERICK WOOD, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CASPER CHARLES NATHAN, OF SAME PLACE.

BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,299, dated January 1, 1901.

Application filed July 5, 1900. Serial No. 22621. (No model.)

I; (ZZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WOOD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, resid ing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster,

England, (whose postal address is 55 Upper Hope Place, Liverpool,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beds'teads which can be folded up when not required for use, so as to occupy a very small space, and thus greatly facilitate transportation. Such a bedstead can be used either in a room or in camping out in a tent or otherwise.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved folding or collapsing construction, and comprises certain improvements which will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, in which Figure l is a general View of the improved bedstead. Fig. 2 represents the same folded up for transportation. Fig. 3 represents the same partly folded. Figs. 4 and 5 are detached detail views, on a large scale, of the central hinge or coupling, the views showing the two faces thereof. Fig. 6 shows the frame or rods for the mosquito-net detached.

A represents four posts or uprights of metal tubing or other suitable material arranged in pairs, the two posts comprising each pair being joined together at the top by a yoke B, which is secured by slipping the eyes O onto 5 the studs a at top of posts in such a manner that they can be instantly removed when required. Each post has abase or foot D, upon which it stands. The posts are kept upright and the pull of the hammock resisted by providing longitudinal frames or crossed stays E E at the sides radiating from a center hinge or joint. The stays E are hinged at e to the uprights, while the stays E are coupled to the studs e at top of posts A. The hinge or coupling comprises a flat metallic plate F, to which one of the cross-stays, preferably one of the bottom stays E, is secured rigidly by brazing or otherwise, the remaining stays being flattened at their ends and hinged to this metallic plate F at f.

H represents diagonally-arranged shoulders 'A. These stays are pivoted together at their point of convergence at I and two of them are also pivoted at 1 thus allowing them to collapse or fold. The hinges or pivots I a re, however, so made as to enable the stays to .fold only one way, thus facilitating the stays being kept rigid when straightened out.

From the yoke B of each pair of uprights is suspended a hammock or bed L, this being coupled at each end to the yoke B by straps M in such a manner that they can be easily 7o removed. These straps, moreover, form loops or handles, so that the hammock can be very easily carried as a stretcher when so required.v To adjust the height orinclination of the hammock, the straps are unbuckled and lengthened or shortened as required.

In the position shown in Fig. 1 the bedstead is ready for use. To fold up the bedstead, all that is necessary is to remove the hammock and its yokes and roll them up, and then disconnect the stays E from the studs e at top of post A, so that stays E fall side by side with the stays E. The stays E E can then be folded at the center joint F, so that they assume the position set forth in Fig. 3, thus bringing the posts nearer together in a longitudinal direction and the plate F being rigidly secured to one of the stays. It is controlled by the stay and always brought into proper position thereby when the bedstead is set up. The two top stays I are also collapsed or folded on their hinges, thus enabling the posts A to be brought nearer together transversely. By this means the bedstead is collapsed both longitudinally and transversely, 5 and when completely collapsed the four posts lie close together, as shown in Fig. 2, and occupy very little space. To these posts and stays the hammock may be strapped and packed away in a bag. N represents rods for I supporting a mosquito-curtain over the bed. These may be set in sockets in the tops of the posts, and they are hinged at O and P, so as to be capable of being folded into a small space when not required for use. It will be obvious that instead of pivoting the two top members of the end stays I at I the said two top members could be coupled to the posts the same as the members E of the side stays, so that they can be disconnected when it is desired to fold. Similarly the stays E, instead of being coupled to the posts, could be pivoted thereto and provided with a pivoted joint somewhere in their length, so they can be. collapsed. I prefer, however, the arrangement illustrated.

It will be noticed that by thepresentinvention there is a clear space underneath the hammock or bed, which is an advantage over those constructions of such folding bedsteads where a single distending-frame is employed between the four posts or uprights of the bed, said frame being disposed horizontally directly under the hammock or bed. An example of this latter construction is illustrated in in )endin a) ilication Serial No.

661,799, filed December 14, 1897.

It will be understood that I do not herein claim, broadly, a collapsible or folding bed wherein the four posts or uprights are bought together in folding by breaking upward a distending-frame or hinged members; but I do claim the specific construction of such a bed as herein shown and described.

hat I definitely claim is 1. In a folding or collapsible bedstead, the combination with the four uprights or posts, and the two transverse distending-frames between the pairs of posts at the respective ends of the bedstead, of the two longitudinal distending-frames between the pairs of posts at the respective sides of the bedstead, said four distending-frames being each of a simple X form, disposed in substantially vertical planes below the level of the bed-surface, and the hinges thereof adapted to break upward in collapsing the bed both laterally and longitudinally, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding or collapsible bedstead, the combination with the four posts or uprights, of the two longitudinal distending-frames between the respective pairs of side posts, said frames comprising each two stays E E, hinged at one end to the lower parts of the posts, two stays E E, hinged at one end to the upper part of the posts, and a hinge-plate F, three of said stays being hinged at their converging ends to said plate, and the other secured rigidly thereto, and said plate having on it shoulders II, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a folding or collapsible bedstead, the combination with the four posts or uprights, of the two longitudinal distending-frames between the respective pairs of side posts, said frames comprising each two stays E E, hinged at one end to the lower part of the posts, two stays E E, hinged at one end to the upper part of the posts, and the flat hinge-plate F, having two shoulders H on one face thereof and one shoulder II on the other face, the converging ends of two of said stays being hinged to one face of said plate, the converging end of one of the remaining stays being hinged to the opposite face thereof, and the converging end of the remaining stay secu red rigidly to said plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a folding or collapsible bedstead, the combination with the uprights or post-s, of the vertically-disposed longitudinal distendingframe between the posts at the side, said frame comprising the plate F, having the shoulders H, the two lower stays E, E, hinged at one end to the posts near the bottom of the same, one of said stays being hinged to said plate and the other bein secured rigidly thereto, and the two upper stays E, E, hinged at one end to the said plate, and at the other end hinged detachably to the upper parts of the respective posts, whereby they may be readily detached from the posts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a folding or collapsible bedstead, the combination with the upright posts, of the vertically-disposed transverse distendingframes, each comprising four converging stays I, hinged together at their point of convergence and to the respective posts at their outer ends, the upper stays having in them hinges 1 which flex in but one direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 9th day of June, 1900, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK IVOOD.

\Vitnesses:

G. G. DYMOND, J. MCLACHLAN. 

